Gustaf J. Johnson (September 8, 1872 - August 12, 1944) was an immigrant to the United States from Sweden who became a mayor of Paxton, Illinois and a state legislator for 16 years from 1920 to 1936.[1]
Gustaf J. Johnson | |
|---|---|
.png) Johnson (circa 1911) when mayor of Paxton, Illinois | |
| Mayor of Paxton | |
| In office 1909–1915 | |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives | |
| In office 1920–1936 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 8, 1872 |
| Died | August 12, 1944 (aged 71) Urbana, Illinois |
| Spouse | Jennie Frederickson |
| Children | 5 |
Biography
editJohnson was born September 8, 1872, in Sweden moving to the United States at the age of fourteen.[2] He first lived in Clay Center, Kansas where he was educated in public schools before moving to Chicago to attend business college.[1] He then moved to Paxton, Illinois in 1895 where he ran a watch making and repair shop.[2] He later set up a jewelry store in 1905 which he ran until 1910, the store was located within the Middlecoff hotel.[2]
Johnson held the position of president at the Paxton Building and Loan association for twenty-five years.[2] He was manager of the Central Telephone & Telegraph Co. whist mayor of Paxton resigning January 1913 and replaced by T. D. Thompson.[3]
He married Jennie Frederickson in 1898, with whom he had several children.[2] His wife died before him in 1931 after being critically ill for weeks.[4]
He was a member of several organisations including the Odd Fellows, the Paxton Masonic Lodge, the Scottish Rite order of Masons and the Modern Woodmen.[2]
Politics
editIn 1907 he was elected to be city alderman serving two years before being elected mayor of Paxton, a position he held for three terms.[2] He had first been elected mayor in April 1909 on the Citizens ticket defeating the People's nominee Arthur Dillon.[5] He was then re-elected in April 1911 again defeating Arthur Dillon with 360 votes to 118.[6] After his second re-election Johnson in April 1913 wrote in the Paxton Record how honored he was to be the first mayor of Paxton to be elected for three consecutive sessions.[7] He stood for a forth term but was defeated by W. H. Westbrook mostly due to the women's vote.[8] As mayor he was noted for getting most of the city's streets paved and also for the expansion of Pell park.[2]
In 1920 he was elected to the Illinois General Assembly and served as a Republican for 16 years in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1920 to 1936.[1][9]
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In 1926 Johnson was elected chairman of the state Republican central committee succeeding Frank L. Smith.[10]
He was the chairman of the Ford County Republican for 16 years.[2]
Death
editHe died from heart disease August 12, 1944 at the Carle Memorial hospital in Urbana, Illinois and was buried at the Glen cemetery.[2] He was survived by five children, three sons and two daughters, as well as two brothers Knudt Johnson and Henning Johnson.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c State, Illinois Office of Secretary of (July 25, 1925). "Illinois Blue Book". Secretary of State. p. 174 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Obituary for GUSTAF J. JOHNSON (Aged 71)". The Sibley Journal. August 17, 1944. p. 1 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "T. D. Thompson New Manger of Telephone Company". The Paxton Record. 16 January 1913. p. 1. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ "Mrs Gustaf J. Johnson". The Roberts Herald. 23 September 1931. p. 1. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ "Election Results Elsewhere". Gibson City Courier. 23 April 1909. p. 4. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ "The City Election". The Paxton Record. 20 April 1911. p. 3. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ "To The Good People of Paxton". The Paxton Record. 17 April 1913. p. 6. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ "Local matters (section) Paxton Mayor". Gibson City Courier. 23 April 1915. p. 5. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ Eversole, Mildred (1945). "Illinois in 1944". Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. 38 (1): 88. ISSN 0019-2287. JSTOR 40188131. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ "G. J. Johnson is State Chairman". The Pantagraph. 13 May 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
